DOZENS of people visited a town centre stall to learn more about public transport as Wellington Bus User Group, part of Somerset Bus Partnership, launched its ‘Catch the Bus’ campaign.

Campaigners manned the stall for a morning and answered people’s queries about bus services and handed out informative leaflets and timetable information.

They were also surveying local people’s views on bus services with postcards available on which to write comments.

The postcards can be returned to collections boxes which have been placed in Ruxtons, in High Street, Sunseed, in South Street, Braziers, in Tonedale, and Brock’s, in Rockwell Green.

Six different posters have been displayed around Wellington showing many reasons for leaving the car at home and catching the bus, from saving money and reducing traffic congestion, pollution, and CO2 emissions, to safeguarding the future of bus transport.

A spokesperson for the group said: “When speaking to people at bus stalls we have held in the town over the last couple of years, we have found that often people who do not normally use buses say they are used to driving everywhere.

“So, we want to show the benefits of catching the bus to encourage people who do not usually think about it to try it.

“We are also reminding people that all local bus fares are only £2 single fare until the end of the year.”

Funding support for the campaign came from Wellington Town Council and councillors were invited to attend and meet the campaigners

The five Parliamentary candidates standing in the General Election for the Taunton and Wellington constituency also received invitations.

Reform UK candidate Charles Hansard, who was an early visitor, said: “I am very pleased to support the Wellington Catch the Bus Campaign.

“Public transport needs to be affordable accessible to all.

“With the significant growth in housing in Wellington, the public transport needs to match this growth by providing stops within reasonable walking distance of the new developments or people will continue to use their cars instead of taking public transport.”

More information about the Somerset Bus Partnership can be found here.